Illuminated clothes hanger



July 16, 1968 c. E. GINGHER ILLUMINATED CLOTHES HANGER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1964 FIG 5 FIG. 6

INVENTOR. CARL E. GINGHER July 16, 1968 c. E. GINGHER 3,392,891

ILLUMINATED CLOTHES HANGER Filed July 22, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 7

FIG. ll

H QT E L. BLUE,

INVENTOR CARL E. GINGHER m M A TTORNE} July 16,1968 c. E. GINGHER ILLUMINATED CLOTHES HANGER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 22, 1964 FIG. l6

O 2 W F m J Y INVENTOR.

ARL E. GINGHER A TTORN United States Patent 3,392,891 ILLUMINATED CLOTHES HANGER Carl E. Gingher, 304-328 Depot St., Scranton, Pa. 18509 Filed July 22, 1964, Ser. No. 384,379 Claims. (Cl. 223-85) The present invention relates to clothes hangers, more particularly, to a clothes hanger having a portion thereof which can be illuminated.

In view of the large numbers of clothes hangers used by various establishments such as hotels, motels, vacation resorts, and the like, and the large numbers of people using these hangers, these establishments sought to advertise themselves by at least putting names on their hangers. Such establishments expected that their guests would take their hangers as souvenirs. This was acceptable since the hangers did serve to advertise the source from which the hanger was obtained.

Since all hangers obtained as souvenirs from such establishments has some advertising material thereon, it was felt that persons using these souvenir hangers became oblivious of any particular advertising message thereon and the effectiveness of such advertising was quickly lost. As a result, such establishments have continuously sought a more effective way of presenting their advertising message on their clothes hangers. Such a method of advertising should not only be relatively inexpensive but should enhance the appearance of the clothes hanger so that such clothes hangers are desired as souvenirs by visitors to or guests of the establishment. People would then be effectively and pleasantly reminded of the establishment from where the hanger was obtained whenever the souvenir clothes hanger was used.

It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved clothes hanger which is particularly adapted for advertising purposes.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a clothes hanger wherein either printed or pictorial advertising material on the hanger is illuminated when the hanger is used.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a clothes hanger which attracts continous attention to its advertising message.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a novel attention-getting display for clothes hangers.

The objects of the present invention are attained by providing a clothes hanger wherein a portion thereof is illuminated when either the clothes hanger is grasped by the user or suitable external controls are operated. The clothes hanger essentially comprises a cross bar secured between the ends of a shoulder bar and a translucent U- shaped hand grip member mounted on the underside of the central portion of the shoulder bar. A light source is provided within the translucent hand grip so that when energized either from a self-contained source of electrical energy mounted on the hanger or from an external source of electrical energy, the hand grip member will be illuminated. Advertising material such as a picture of the particular establishment using the hanger may be applied to a side wall of a hand grip member. The hand grip member is preferably formed of a translucent plastic material so that when the light source therein is energized, the entire hand grip member will be illuminated and, accordingly, the advertising message on the side Wall of the member will become clearly visible.

The advertising message may be formed on the plastic itself of the hand grip member, or may be on a thin paper which is then positioned on the inside of the hand grip member.

3,392,891 Patented July 16, 1968 Openings may be formed in the bottom and/or side walls of the hand grip member and transparent plastic inserts positioned therein so that rays of light are projected from these openings when the light source within the hand grip member is energized. In this way the clothes hanger may be used as a source of illumination.

When the illuminated clothes hanger of this invention is to be used for display purposes, the light source within the translucent hand grip member is energized from an external source of electrical energy. The clothes hanger is mounted upon a display rack and then connected to the electrical energy source, either directly or through a suitable transformer. Illumination of the hand grip member will call attention to the clothes hanger and will accordingly attract the attention of passersby to this hanger display.

The light source may be positioned in the cross bar of the clothes hanger and the open side of the cross bar may be covered with a translucent plastic. The open side of the cross bar may be directed either upwardly or downwardly. When directed downwardly, illumination from the cross bar will provide a source of illumination from the clothes hanger. When the open face of the cross bar is directed upwardly, an advertising message may be carried on the plastic panel which message will become visible when the light sources within the cross bar are illuminated. The source of electrical energy, such as a storage battery, may be carried in the hand grip member and connected electrically to the light sources in the cross bar. The light sources in the cross bar may be in addition to light source in the hand grip member or an alternative thereto.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying specification describing the invention in detail when taken in conjunction with the follwing drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an overall perspective view of the illuminated clothes hanger of the present invention;

FIGURE 1A is a bottom perspective view of the connection between the shoulder and cross bars;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the clothes hanger including the hand grip member and the arrangement of elements therein;

FIGURE 3 is an overall perspective view of the translucent hand grip member with advertising material on a side wall thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view of the hand grip member of FIGURE 3 but showing a thin paper positioned within the hand grip member and carrying the advertising material thereon;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan view of a modified hand grip member showing an opening in the bottom wall;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the paper insert for the modified hand grip of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view of a clothes hanger having a further modification of the hand grip member;

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view of a clothes hanger having the light source in the cross bar;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 99 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a vertical sectional View through the cross bar of the hanger of FIGURE 8, showing the light sources therein;

FIGURE 14 is a sectional view taken along the line 14-14 of FIGURE 13;

FIGURE 15 is an overall perspective view of a display board for the illuminated clothes hanger of the present invention;

FIGURE 16 is a vertical sectional view of the display board of FIGURE 15, and showing a modified electrical connection for the hanger on the display board;

FIGURE 17 is a sectional view taken along the line 1717 of FIGURE 16;

FIGURE 18 is an overall perspective view of a portion of a closet showing an illuminated clothes hanger on a supporting rod;

FIGURE 19 is a sectional view of a square hanger supporting rod showing the location of electric conductors on the bar and electrical contacts on the hanger hook; and

FIGURE 20 is a top plan view of the hook and cross bar illustrated in FIGURE 19.

Proceeding next to the drawings wherein like reference symbols indicate the same parts throughout the various views, a specific embodiment and several modifications of the present invention will be described in detail.

With particular reference to FIGURES 1 through 3, there is a showing of a clothes hanger of the present invention, indicated generally at 1, and hanging upon a supporting rod 2. The clothes hanger comprises a shoulder bar 3, formed from a channel member and having an inverted U-shaped cross section. The shoulder bar 3 forms the primary supporting member for garments hung on the hanger. To support the hanger, a hanger hook 4 having a shank portion 5 is secured to the shoulder bar at the central portion thereof. The shank 5 is inserted through an opening 6 in the shoulder bar. The inserted portion of the shank is then bent at 7 and welded to the underside of the shoulder bar. The hook 4 is formed of steel wire and may be plated or coated with a suitable metal or plastic to enhance its appearance and to improve resistance to corrosion and wear.

Between the inner faces of the ends 8 and 9 of the shoulder bar 3 there is provided a cross bar 10 which similarly comprises a channel member of inverted U- shaped cross section. The cross bar 10 is also used for supporting garments, particularly trousers. The cross bar 10 is secured in position by the ends thereof being clamped to the shoulder bar, as shown in FIGURE 1A. The bottom ends 11 of the shoulder bar 3 are rounded and then turned inwardly and upwardly. The abutting ends of the cross bar 10 are bent downwardly at 12 to fit closely within the socket 13 formed at the end of the shoulder bar. The bent end 12 of the cross bar is spot welded to the shoulder bar, as indicated at 14.

In order to provide a convenient hand grip for the hanger and a fiat area suitable for carrying advertising or other messages, a hand grip member 15 is attached to the central portion of the underside of the shoulder bar 3, as shown in FIGURE 3. The hand grip member 15 is formed from a translucent plastic material and has a U- shaped cross section with a fiat bottom wall 16 and upstanding side walls 17 and 18. The upper edges of the side walls 17 and 18 are curved to conform to the curvature of the central portion of the shoulder bar so as to fit within the underside of the shoulder bar. The bottom wall 16 extends outwardly beyond the ends of the side wall, as indicated at 19.

The hand grip member 15 is mounted on the cross bar for limited vertical movement with respect thereto by means of the bottom wall extensions 19 resting upon indentation integral clips 20 punched inwardly from the shoulder bar, as shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3. The bottom wall extensions 19 rest upon the clips 20 by gravity or springs 21 may be provided between the bottom wall of the hand grip member and the shoulder bar, as illustrated 4 in FIGURE 2, to urge the bottom wall of the hand grip member downwardly against the clips.

In order to illuminate the hand grip member 15 there are mounted within the central portion of the shoulder bar 3, two light sockets 22 which receive electric light bulbs 23 of the size which is commonly used in flashlights. The sockets are mounted in position by brackets 24 which are spot welded to the shoulder bar 3. The sockets are electrically connected in either series or parallel by wire 25 with contacts 26 and 27 between which are mounted storage batteries 28 which may be of the nickel-chromium long-life type. The batteries are held in position by the spring clamps 29.

Also connected in series with the light sockets 22 and batteries 28 are contact switches 30 and 31 located at the opposite ends of the hand grip member bottom wall 1.6. These contact switches each comprises a stationary contact 32 mounted on the shoulder bar 23 and a movable contact 33 carried on the bottom wall 16. As may be seen in FIGURE 2, the contact switches 30 and 31 are normally in the open position since the springs 21 bias the hand grip bottom wall 16 against the clips 30 and away from the stationary contacts 32. The contact switches 30 and 31 are in parallel with each other but in series with the batteries and lights so that it is only necessary to close one contact switch in order to energize the lights.

As may be seen in FIGURE 3, the side wall 18 of the hand grip member has printed thereon advertising material, indicated at 34, which in the example is a photograph of the hotel in which the hanger is being used. By forming the hand grip member of colorless translucent plastic, a colored photograph printed directly on the side wall of the hand grip member will be clearly illuminated when the lights within the hand grip member are energized.

It has been found that the use of two lights, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, provides a more uniform illumination of the hand grip member. However, if desired, other arrangements of the lights may be employed, such as a single light and single battery, to also give adequate illumination.

The advertising material 34 of FIGURE 3 may also be printed upon a thin glossy paper, indicated at 35 in FIGURE 4, which paper has an outline conforming to the blank of the hand grip member. This paper 35 is then positioned within the hand grip member, as shown in FIGURE 4, and, if desired, a small amount of adhesive, indicated at 36, may be applied to the bottom 37 of the paper to be secured to the bottom wall of the hand grip member. Illumination of the lights within the hand grip member would also clearly illuminate the advertising material on the paper insert, as shown in FIGURE 4.

With the above-described structure the lights will be de-energized when the hanger is hanging upon a supporting rod, as shown in FIGURE 1. However, when a person wishes to remove the hanger from the supporting rod in order to place clothing thereon, he will grasp the hanger by the hand grip. This grasping of the hand grip will cause the hand grip to move upwardly and thus bring the contacts 32 and 33 of either or both of the contact switches 39 and 31 into engagement so as to energize the lights. Energization of the lights will illuminate the hand grip member and will quickly call attention of the person to the printed material on the hand grip member.

In order to energize the lights within the hand grip member when the hanger is grasped by the shoulder bar and not by the hand grip member, a position responsive mercury switch is provided within the hand grip member, as indicated at 38 in FIGURE 2. The mercury switch 38 may be either in lieu of the contact switches 30 and 31, or may be in addition to these contact switches. The mercury switch 38 is connected in series with the batteries 28 and light socket 22 so that tilting of the hanger from its normal horizontal position will cause the mercury 39 to engage either of the contacts 40 or 41 located at the ends of the tube 42 of the mercury switch. When the mercury engages one of these contacts the circuit is closed and the lights will be energized by the batteries Thus with this mercury switch arrangement, the lights will be energized whenever the hanger is moved from its normal horizontal position regardless of where the person grasps the hanger.

In order that the entire hanger may be employed as a source of illumination when the hand grip member is illuminated, the bottom wall 16 of the hand grip member may be provided with an opening 43 in which is inserted a panel 44 of a clear plastic, as shown in FIGURE 5. Thus, when the lights within the hand grip are illuminated, light will be projected through the clear plastic panel 44 downwardly.

When it is desired to use the paper insert 35 of FIG- URE 4 with the modified hand grip member of FIGURE 5, the paper insert will be provided with an opening 45, as shown in FIGURE -6. The paper opening 45 will register with the plastic panel 44 when the paper insert is in position within the hand grip member.

Proceeding next to FIGURE 7,'there is shown a clothes hanger of the present invention having a modified hand grip member 46 which is somewhat longer than the previously described hand grip member and accordingly provides more wall space suitable for advertising. The conventional clothes hanger of the type illustrated in FIGURE 1 is approximately 17 inches in length and the length of the bottom wall of the hand grip member is about 5 inches. However, the modified hand grip member 16 of FIGURE 7 has a bottom wall length of about 12 inches. The modified hand grip member 46 may be provided with the same switch arrangements as described above in order to energize the lights carried therein. In order to obtain a more uniform illumination of this larger hand grip member it may be desired to use more than two light sources.

In the modification of FIGURES 8 through 10, the light sources are mounted within the cross bar 10 of the hanger. A plurality of lights 47, 48 and 49 may be mounted by suitable brackets, indicated at 50, to the cross bar 10. The lights 47 through 49 may be either in lieu of lights in the hand grip member or may be in addition thereto. The lights 47 through 49 are similarly connected in circuit with the batteries 28 and the switch arrangement in the hand grip member. The switch arrangement may be either of the contact switch type or the mercury switch type, as described above.

The open end of the cross bar is indicated at 51 and is covered with a translucent plastic panel 52. When the open end 51 of the cross bar is directed downwardly, as in this modification, the light sources within the cross bar provide illumination for the space surrounding the hanger.

However, as shown in FIGURES 11 and 12, the cross bar may be mounted so that the open end 51 is directed upwardly. In this modification an advertising message may be placed upon the plastic panel 52. The message will then be illuminated and will catch the attention of the person when the hanger is used as described above.

In the modification of FIGURE 13, the clothes hanger has a cross bar 53 formed of translucent plastic tubing. The tubing may be of a synthetic plastic, such as heat curable resins, as for example, epoxy resin, urea formaldehyde resin or the like. These plastic parts may be readily cemented to the metallic shoulder bar 3 by a suitable cement or bonding agent such as polyester styrene copolymer. In this manner the plastic cross bar may be securely bonded to a metal shoulder bar.

Light sockets 54 are mounted by suitable brackets to the ends of the shoulder bar 3. The light sockets are connected in series with batteries and switch arrangements as described above. This plastic tubular cross bar, together with its lights, may be used either in lieu of lights in the hand grip member or in addition to an illuminated hand grip member.

In FIGURES 15 through 17 there is illustrated an illuminated clothes hanger according to the present invention wherein the hanger illuminating means is energized from an outside source of electrical energy. Accordingly, this type of hanger is particularly adapted for display purposes. As may be seen in FIGURE 15, an illuminated clothes hanger 55 is mounted for display purposes upon a display board 56. The clothes hanger 55 is similar to the hanger 1, except that the batteries 28 and switch arrangements are omitted. Further, the hand grip member 15, while being made of a translucent plastic material, may be securely fastened to the underside of the shoulder bar 3. The light sockets 22 which are mounted within the shoulder bar 3 are connected through an electrical lead 57 to one part 58 of an electrical connector. The connector part 58 is adapted to electrically engage another part 59 of an electrical connector which latter part may be mounted on the display board. The connector part 59 is then electrically connected through a stepdown transformer 60 by a lead 61 to a suitable source of electrical energy such as the conventionally found volt main. The transformer functions to reduce the 110 volts down to about 6 volts which is the rating of the bulbs 23 used in the illuminated hand grip portion. If desired, the bulbs may be of the 110 volt type and, accordingly, the transformer may be eliminated. With such an arrangement, the bulbs would then be directly connected to an external source of electrical energy to the lead 61.

The hanger 55 has its hook suspended from a bar 62 and bnackets 63 support the bottom wall 16 of the hand grip member. With this arrangement, the clothes hanger 55 is held securely in position on the display board.

Thus, when the lead 61 is connected to a source of electrical energy, the lights within the translucent hand grip member 15 will be energized to illuminate the hand grip member and advertising material carried on a side wall thereof.

In the modification of FIGURES 16 and 17, a portion 64 of a transformer core is fixedly mounted on the display board 56 and has a primary winding 65 which is connected to a 110 volt source of electrical energy.

Mounted on the side wall 18 of the hand grip member 5 is a mating portion 66 of the transformer core which has a secondary winding 67 thereon, and connected to the light sockets 22 within the hand grip.

Thus, when the mating transformer core portions are brought together by positioning the clothes hanger upon the supporting bar 62 :and brackets 63, a closed magnetic path will be for-med, and the lights within the hand grip member will be energized. Further, the resulting transformer core will properly reduce the voltage to the rating of the bulbs within the hand grip member.

The mating edges of the transformer core portions may be provided with interlocking components, as illustrated in FIGURE 16, so that the transformer connection is secure when the clothes hanger is in position on the display board.

In FIGURE 18, there is shown an illuminated clothes hanger of the present invention hanging upon a supporting rod in a closet with the lights in the hanger being adapted to be illuminated by closing either a room or closet switch exterior of the closet. The supporting rod, indicated at 68, has an electrically insulating coating upon which are positioned a pair of electrical conductors 69. The conductors are bare wires or printed from an electrically conducing material on the surface of the supporting rod. The cross section of the supporting rod is either circular or square, as shown in FIGURE 19. The clothes hanger, indicated at 70, is similar to the hanger 55 of FIGURE 15. The lights 23, however, within the hand grip member are connected to leads which are attached to the hanger book 71. Then hanger hook 71 has an electrically insulating coating upon the entire outer surface 72. Printed upon the electrically insulating surface are leads of electrically conducting material shown at 73 and 74. These leads are preferably on diametrically opposite sides of the hanger hook. These leads extend to contact areas 75 and 76 positioned on the underside of the curved portion 77 of the hanger hook 71. The contacts 75 and 76 are electrically separated from each other but are positioned to engage the electrical conductors 69 upon the supporting rod 68 when the hanger is supported from this supporting rod.

The supporting rod electrical conductors 69' are connected to a room switch 78 which may either be for the purpose of energizing the light in the room or within the closet, and indicated at 79. Thus, when the room switch 78 is closed, the lights within the translucent hand grip member of the hanger 70 will be energized through the electrical conductor 69 on the supporting rod, contacts 75 and 76 on the hanger hook, and leads 73 and 74 on the hanger hook connected to the lights within the hand grip member.

A transformer 80 is preferably interconnected between the room switch 73 and supporting rod electrical conductors 69 so that the voltage carried by the conductors 69 is of a low order, such as 6 volts or less.

Thus, it can be seen that the present invention provides a clothes hanger which has a portion thereof adapted to be illuminated with the illuminated portion being particularly suitable for advertising purposes. By illuminating the advertising material when the hanger is grasped by a person intending to use the same, the attention of the person will be quickly drawn to this illuminated portion because of the novelty of an illuminated clothes hanger. In addition to advertising purposes, the illuminated clothes hanger may be used for illuminating the space immediately surrounding the hanger. By illuminating the advertising material, a more permanent impression will be made upon the person using the hanger than when the advertising material consists merely of printing upon a portion of the clothes hanger.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions, and accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A clothes hanger comprising a shoulder bar having downwardly extending ends for supporting a garment, a cross bar secured between the ends. of said shoulder bar, a hanger hook attached to the central portion of said shoulder bar for supporting said hanger, a hand grip member of translucent material and having a U-shaped cross section mounted on the underside of the central portion of said shoulder bar, and means within said translucent member for illuminating the same.

2. A clothes hanger comprising a shoulder bar having downwardly extending ends for supporting a garment, a cross bar secured between the ends of said shoulder bar, a hanger hook attached to the central portion of said shoulder bar for supporting said hanger, means on said hanger for illuminating a portion thereof, and means on said hanger for energizing said illuminating means when said hanger is lifted.

3. A clothes hanger comprising a shoulder bar having downwardly extending ends for supporting a garment, a cross bar secured between the ends of said shoulder bar, a hanger hook attached to the central portion of said shoulder bar for supporting said hanger, a hand grip members of translucent material and having -a U-shaped cross section mounted on the underside of said central portion of said shoulder bar, said hand grip member having side walls which are fitted against the underside of said central portion of said shoulder bar, means within said translucent hand grip member for illuminating the same, and means within said hand grip member for energizing said illuminating means when said hand grip member is grasped.

4. A clothes hanger comprising a shoulder bar having downwardly extending ends for supporting a garment, a cross bar secured between the ends of said shoulder bar, a hanger hook attached to the central portion of said shoulder bar for supporting said hanger, a hand grip member of translucent material and having a U- shaped cross section mounted on the underside of said central portion of said shoulder bar, said hand grip member having side Walls which are fitted against the underside of said central portion of said shoulder bar, means on said shoulder bar for retaining said hand grip member for limited vertical movement with respect thereto, illuminating means within said hand grip member including a light source and a source of electrical energy therefor, and a switch actuated by said movable hand grip member and connected in circuit with said light source and said electrical energy source to energize the light source.

5. A clothes hanger comprising a shoulder bar having downwardly extending ends for supporting a garment, a cross bar secured between the ends of said shoulder bar, a hanger hook attached to the central portion of said shoulder bar for supporting said hanger, a hand grip member of translucent material and having a 'U-shaped cross section mounted on the underside of said central portion of said shoulder bar, said hand grip member having side walls which are fitted against the underside of said central portion of said shoulder bar, illuminating means within said hand grip member including a light source and a source of electrical energy therefor, and a position responsive switch means connected in circuit with said light source and electrical energy source, said switch means closing when said hanger is tilted from its hanging position whereby said light source is energized when said hanger is lifted.

6. A clothes hanger comprising a shoulder bar having downwardly extending ends for supporting a garment, a cross bar secured between the ends of said shoulder bar, a hanger hook attached to the central portion of said shoulder bar for supporting said hanger, a hand grip member of tuanslucent material and having a U- shaped cross section mounted on the underside of said central portion of said shoulder bar, said hand grip member having side walls which are fitted against the underside of said central portion of said shoulder bar, means within said hand grip member for illuminating the same, means within said hand grip member for energizing said illuminating means when said hand grip member is grasped, there being an opening in said translucent hand grip member so that light rays are projected therefrom when said illuminating means are energized.

7. A clothes hanger comprising a shoulder bar hav ing downwardly extending ends for supporting a garment, a cross bar of inverted U-shaped cross section secured between the ends of said shoulder bar, a hanger hook attached to the central portion of said shoulder bar for supporting said hanger, a hand grip member having a U-shaped cross section mounted on the underside of said central portion of said shoulder bar, said member having side walls which are fitted against said underside portion of said shoulder bar, a light source Within said U-shaped cross bar, a source of electrical energy within said hand grip member and means connecting elect-rically said source of electrical energy to said light source, said means within said hand grip member for energizing said illuminating means when said hand grip member is grasped.

8. A clothes hanger as claimed in claim 7, and further comprising a panel of translucent material covering the open side of said U-shaped cross bar.

9. A clothes hanger as claimed in claim 7, wherein the open side of said U-shaped cross bar is directed upwardly, and a panel of translucent material covering the open side of said U-shaped cross bar.

10. A clothes hanger comprising a shoulder bar having downwardly extending ends for supporting a garment, a hanger hook attached to the central portion of said shoulder bar for supporting said hanger, a hand grip member having a 'U-shaped cross section mounted on the underside of said central portion of said shoulder bar, a translucent tubular cross bar secured between the ends of said shoulder bar, a light source within said tubular cross bar, a source of electrical energy within said hand grip member, means for connecting electrically said source of electrical energy to said light source, and means within said hand grip member for energizing said illuminating means when said hand grip member is grasped.

11. A clothes hanger particularly adapted for display purposes and comprising a shoulder bar having downwardly extending ends for supporting a garment, a cross bar secured between the ends of said shoulder bar, a hanger hook attached to the central portion of said shoulder bar for supporting said hanger, a hand grip member of translucent material and having a U-shaped cross section mounted on the underside of said central portion of said shoulder bar, said hand grip member having a bottom wall and upstanding side walls which are fitted against the underside of said central portion of said shoulder bar, a light source within said translucent hand grip member, and means for connecting said light source to an external source of electrical energy to energize said light source.

12. A clothes hanger particularly adapted for display purposes and comprising a shoulder bar having downwardly extending ends for supporting a garment, a cross bar secured between the ends of said shoulder bar, a hanger hook attached to the central portion of said shoulder bar for supporting said hanger, a hand grip member of translucent material and having a U-shaped cross section mounted on the underside of said central portion of said shoulder bar, said hand grip member having a bottom wall and upstanding side walls which are fitted against the underside of said central portion of said shoulder bar, a light source within said translucent hand grip member, a first portion of a transformer core with first connecting means mounted on said hand grip member and having 'a secondary winding thereon connected to said light source, and a second portion of a transformer core with second connecting means mounted exteriorly of said hanger and having a primary winding thereon for connection to a source of electrical energy so that connecting said core portion connecting means together will energize said light source.

13. In combination, a clothes hanger including a shoulder bar having downwardly extending ends with a cross bar secured between the ends thereof and a translucent U-shaped hand grip member mounted on the underside of the central portion of said shoulder bar, a light source within said translucent hand grip member, a first portion of a transformer core with first connecting means carried by said hand grip member and having a secondary winding thereon connected to said light source, a display board including means thereon for supporting a clothes hanger and having a second portion of a transformer core with second connecting means mounted thereon, there being a primary winding on said second core portion for connection to a source of electrical energy, said clothes hanger supporting means and said second core portion connecting means being so arranged that when the hanger is supported on said display board the core portion connecting means will connect to form a closed magnetic path whereby said light source is energized.

14. A clothes hanger comprising a shoulder bar having downwardly extending ends for supporting a garment, a cross bar secured between the ends of said shoulder bar, a hanger hook attached to the central portion of said shoulder bar for supporting said hanger, a hand grip member of translucent material and having a U-shaped cross section mounted on the underside of said central portion of said shoulder bar, said hand grip member having a bottom wall and upstanding side walls which are fitted against the underside of said central portion of said shoulder bar, a pair of electrical contacts on the curved portion of said hanger hook, a light source within said translucent hand grip member, means electrically connecting said light source to said hanger hook electrical contacts, and means for connecting said hanger hook contacts to a source of electrical energy to energize said light source.

15. In combination, a clothes hanger including a shoulder bar having downwardly extending means and having a cross bar connected between the ends thereof with a translucent hand grip member mounted on the underside of the central portion of said shoulder bar and a hanger hook upstanding from said shoulder bar central portion, a pair of electrical contacts on the curved portion of said hanger hook, a light source within said translucent hand grip member and electrically connected to said hanger hook electrical contacts, a supporting member for carrying said hanger hook, electrical conductor means arranged .on said supporting member so as to be engaged by said hanger hook electrical contacts when said hanger is supported therefrom, and means for connecting said electrical conductor means to a source of electrical energy to energize said clothes hanger light source.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 965,873 8/1910 Colton 223 X 1,700,328 1/1929 Nicholson 40-126 2,984,736 5/1961 Starniri 2406.4 3,052,390 9/1962 Gingher 22388 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CLOTHES HANGER COMPRISING A SHOULDER BAR HAVING DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING ENDS FOR SUPPORTING A GARMENT, A CROSS BAR SECURED BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID SHOULDER BAR, A HANGER HOOK ATTACHED TO THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID SHOULDER BAR FOR SUPPORTING SAID HANGER, A HAND GRIP MEMBER OF TRANSLUCENT MATERIAL AND HAVING A U-SHAPED CROSS SECTION MOUNTED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID SHOULDER BAR, AND MEANS WITHIN SAID TRANSLUCENT MEMBER FOR ILLUMINATING THE SAME. 